Bosnian Foodways | Pita as a Rite of Passage

[Ann Ferrell & Mersiha Demirović]

Ann Ferrell: “As our comfort, eating something, that to some people eat in Bosnia-“

Mersiha Demirović: “I think so, yeah. Definitely yeah. I know that, uh, I don’t eat meat. So that’s very rare for Bosnians so you can imagine. So.. bread is a big deal. Um, carbs. A lot of carbs. But like, my mom makes pita and I don’t eat anyone else’s pita other than my mom’s. So if I was to ever lose my mother I simply don’t think I would ever eat anyone else’s pita because I don’t want to.”

AF: “And did she teach you to cook, you and your sister, or?”

MD: “She did. She tried. [laughs] She tried. So, yeah.”

AF: “And do you cook things? Do you, do you ever cook pita or do you not do it-“

MD: “I do, I do. No, I remember like when I was 12 years old, uh, it was like a rite of passage with Mom teaching me how to make bread. So yeah, it was like, my sister, her time came too. She was never as good as I was. But yeah, there are definitely certain things that, I think, most Bosnian families or most Bosnian mothers try to pass on to their Bosnian daughters, if you will. Like learning how to make a pita, that’s definitely one of those examples.”